Gone: Hawkeye & Mockingbird

I know I should probably be addressing the big news that Bruce Wayne has outed himself as the money man behind The Batman, but we have more important things to discuss.

Remember 6 months ago when I asked you all to go to your local comic book shop and pick up the first issue of “Hawkeye & Mockingbird?” Well, what I should have said — and I blame myself — is you need to go back every month and buy “Hawkeye & Mockingbird.” You see, a comic book is a monthly periodical — like a magazine — and if you don’t buy every issue, it will get canceled.

And that, apparently, is what has happened to “Hawkeye & Mockingbird.” Issue 6 came out Wednesday and there’s no issue 7 on the horizon. I said it has “apparently” been canceled because when you ask anyone at Marvel what’s going on, the response is as coy as someone posting on Facebook.

As I’ve said many times, it’s hard being a Hawkeye fan. This was his third shot at a solo title and it only lasted an embarrassing six issues. And I don’t know who to blame this time. The first time you could blame it on him being stuck in a split book with a lame second feature; the second time he spent far too much time hanging out with fat people in a hot tub instead of shooting arrows at bad guys (really).

But this time — the writing was solid, the art was exceptional, the story was decent, the supporting cast was fun. It received unanimous critical acclaim and most everyone who read it loved it. So why was it selling less that Zatanna? Zatanna — the magician who cast spells by talking backwards.

I’d like someone to blame, but who? I’d like to blame the Republicans, or the President, or the Tea Party, or Nancy Pelosi, but I don’t think any of them had anything to do with it. And you have to give Marvel credit for putting together a good team. No, I fear the fault lies with my fellow nerds, who would rather buy five different comics featuring Deadpool. Stupid nerds.

But I’m told all hope is not lost. Issues 7 and 8 were originally going to be a crossover with the “Black Widow” comic — which has also been canceled — and they’re now being refitted into a miniseries called “Widow Maker.” After that, we’re being assured that the H&M creative team will continue working with the characters in a different project that Marvel Just Can’t Talk About Yet.

I’m not sure that I trust Marvel at this point, but I’m willing to wait and see. It’s not like I have a choice. I’m not going to start reading Green Arrow. Rest assured I will let you know of any new Hawkeye news as soon as it happens.

2 responses to “Gone: Hawkeye & Mockingbird”

It is dissapointing that the book was Canceleed as they seemed to have given it a solid structure. I think Black Widow probably suffered from some Iron Man 2 hangover wich kiled all the pre-release momentum for the character.
As for your final comment though, if you’re NOT reading Green arrow you certainly should…you’re mising out.
After all Hawkeye was copied from GA who has had several successful solo series. The last two ended for editorial reasons more than anything else.